What does “Advertiser” mean in affiliate marketing?

In affiliate marketing, there are two main roles: publishers and advertisers. An advertiser is an online store or service provider that wants to sell products or services through affiliate marketing.

The advertiser provides promotional materials like banners or text links and pays a commission to publishers for every successful referral – for example, a purchase or a sign-up.

Put simply:
• Advertiser = the provider of products or services
• Publisher = the partner who promotes and drives traffic or customers

So, if you run an online store or offer digital services and work with publishers to promote them – you’re an advertiser.